The Spartan football team fell to Frostburg State University Saturday by a score of three points, bringing the Spartans to 1-2 overall as they come home to play in the homecoming game next week. The 36-33 loss to FSU, and the overnight trip to Maryland, comes at an odd time for the Spartans, falling after an unexpected loss to Oberlin last week.

Though Case seemed dominant in the first, Frostburg and the Spartans traded drives throughout much of the second. After the half, Frostburg managed to put 13 points on the board to CWRU’s none, putting them back into competition. In the fourth, Case Western put up a touchdown and an extra point, tying up the game.

But it was finally decided in the fourth. After a lightning fast 14 play, 93 yard drive by Frostburg put them in field goal range, FSU kicker Isaac Robinson slapped it through the uprights, sealing the Spartans fate with three seconds left on the clock.

Right off the bat, the Spartans had trouble with penalties, totalling five flags for a loss of 62 yards, including a holding charge that interrupted the opening drive. Penalties cost the Spartans valuable momentum at key moments, forcing the team into long yardage situations. This has been the Spartans most costly game in terms of penalty yardage, compared with 19 and 44 against Oberlin and Marietta, respectively.

On paper, the Spartan run game has fully recovered from their showing at Oberlin, where they put up 22 carries for 16 yards, with 60 carries for 295 yards today. Running back Ricky Hanzlick led the day, with 20 carries for 105 yards. Quarterback Billy Beecher chalked 18 carries for 93 yards, while Kenny Riordan put in 15 carries for 84 yards, averaging an impressive 5.6 yards per carry. Beecher accounted for all three of Case’s rushing touchdowns.

However, the FSU offense roughly matched the Spartans on the ground, with 59 carries for 281 yards. FSU running back Michael Fourth put in 185 yards on 35 carries, along with one of Frostburg’s two rushing touchdowns.

In the air, Frostburg squarely outpaced the Spartans, with 286 passing yards to Case’s 138. Headed by quarterback Ken Emmons, three of FSU’s touchdowns were in the air, compared with CWRU’s lone passing touchdown from quarterback Erick Olson to wide receiver John Mangelluzzi. In a sad twist, it was his first catch for points in collegiate play. Overall, Case currently has chalked only two passing touchdowns to their seven rushing, reflecting an offense that has had more success on the ground than in the air.

The Spartans are currently 12-37 for third down conversions, putting them at 32 percent. This could prove problematic in their upcoming game versus Linfield.